Pediatric team at “Acibadem Sistina” Hospital is faced with children who need assessment, early intervention and treatment on a daily basis. This was an occasion to open a center for early detection and treatment of children with disabilities. It is a very sensitive category of children whose treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach. Our team consists of:

• Developmental pediatrician – Aneta Demerdžieva, MD – who makes the initial assessment of deviations from development and sets a suspicion of any additional medical treatment (metabolic screening, laboratory assessment, genetic testing, especially at children with elements of mental regression and retardation, auditory screening in children with speech problems and a host of additional examinations depending on the clinical image of each patient individually);
• Pediatric neurologist- Olivera Lekovska, MD – practices neurological assessment (neurological examination, neurological-physiological diagnostics -EEG and other complementary neurological examinations). She is engaged in the development monitoring of infants with a potential risk for a development deviation, due to the factors caused by the mother or the pregnancy (premature birth, pathological pregnancy, etc.). Dr. Lekovska treats comorbid neurological conditions (epilepsy, cerebral palsy). 
• Special education teacher – Sonja Jordanova Cacanovska – who besides defectology treatment, is educated and extremely experienced in speech therapy.

The team approach provides a one-stop treatment of the child, correlating the results obtained and continuously monitoring the effects of the treatment. Our message is: any doubt of the parent and the environment, at least insignificantly, requires serious approach and evaluation. The goal is to make a diagnosis as quickly as possible in order to begin with the early treatment. The assessment must be realistic and appropriate to the age, for which there are clearly defined standards. However, the important thing is that every parent to know that regardless of all kinds of the necessary medical interventions that we performed daily, the child must have a special education i.e. to work with a special education teacher. This treatment cannot be replaced by any medicament. In certain situations, it is the basic treatment, and in certain conditions, it is only the support of the medical part that guarantees gradually restoring the repressed functions. And in conclusion – parents must be informed in advance that no one knows what is the maximum development that can be pulled out of the child. But one thing is certain, if the child is treated, it will be better. Children are the reason for our existence and our future. Our team equally fights for each child with disabilities, because every child, regardless of the degree of disability, deserves a chance for a better life and better quality.